# CVE-2024-42450: Hardcoded credentials in Director

> Unauthenticated attackers can access the database and escalate privileges due to hardcoded credentials and exposed network interfaces in Versa Director.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 21 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hfwx-j6h2-rmf7

## What is CVE-2024-42450?

CVE-2024-42450 is a critical vulnerability in Versa Director, published on 19 Nov 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Versa Director uses PostgreSQL (Postgres) to store operational and configuration data. It is also needed for High Availability function of the Versa Director. The default configuration has a common password across all instances of Versa Director. By default, Versa Director configures Postgres to listen on all network interfaces. This combination allows an unauthenticated attacker to access and administer the database or read local filesystem contents to escalate privileges on the system. 

Exploitation Status:
Versa Networks is not aware of this exploitation in any production systems. A proof of concept exists in the lab environment.

Workarounds or Mitigation:
Starting with the latest 22.1.4 version of Versa Director, the software will automatically restrict access to the Postgres and HA ports to only the local and peer Versa Directors. For older releases, Versa recommends performing manual hardening of HA ports. Please refer to the following link for the steps https://docs.versa-networks.com/Solutions/System_Hardening/Perform_Manual_Hardening_for_Versa_Director#Secure_HA_Ports  

This vulnerability is not exploitable on Versa Directors if published Firewall guidelines are implemented. We have validated that no Versa-hosted head ends have been affected by this vulnerability. All Versa-hosted head ends are patched and hardened. 

Please contact Versa Technical Support or Versa account team for any further assistance.

Software Download Links:
22.1.4: https://support.versa-networks.com/support/solutions/articles/23000026708-release-22-1-4

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42450?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Versa-Networks Versa Director.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-42450?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-42450 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-42450 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42450 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Versa Director

- [CVE-2024-39717](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39717/): Versa Director Dangerous File Type Upload (medium 6.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-24288](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24288/): Hardcoded credentials in Director (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-25029](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25029/): Command injection in Versa Director (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-23173](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23173/): Information disclosure in Director (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-23171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23171/): File upload in Director (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-42450 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-42450 is a critical vulnerability in Versa Director, published on 19 Nov 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42450 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Versa Director. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42450/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42450/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42450
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42450
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42450

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42450/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.